Spurs taking advantage of early-season cupcakes

For much of training camp, and throughout the preseason, Spurs players spoke often and publicly about the immediate opportunity that lay ahead.

The schedule-makers had been kind, presenting them a handful of winnable games to start the season, most of them at home. In that slate, the Spurs saw a chance to deposit a handful of early-season victories in the bank for a rainy day.

And now that they’ve taken advantage, racing to a 6-1 start that ranks among the best after seven games in franchise history? Welcome to downplay city.

Heading into tonight’s game against Philadelphia, the Spurs have won five in a row, already equaling their longest winning streak from last season. They are certainly in a better place than they were early last season, when they started 4-6 against a schedule far less favorable.

Still, it has not escaped notice that the five teams the Spurs have beaten en route to 6-1 — with their combined record of 10-27 heading into Friday — won’t be challenging for championships anytime soon.

“Of course, we prefer to be (6-1), but we haven’t played many teams with a lot of wins,” said Manu Ginobili, the Spurs’ leading scorer at 21.9 points per game. “We know there’s work to do.”

Having lost only to unbeaten New Orleans, the Spurs readily admit there could be a bit of fool’s gold in their near-pristine record. Odds are good they wouldn’t be a one-loss team had they faced the Lakers twice, and not the Clippers.

But they aren’t about to apologize for winning with the schedule they were handed, either.

“If you look at the way we started out last year, we were losing to teams that we probably shouldn’t have lost to,” small forward Richard Jefferson said. “This year, we’re giving ourselves a little bit more of a cushion to start the season.”

The cupcake buffet continues tonight, when the 2-7 76ers visit the AT&T Center. After that, it’s on to solid food.

Right after tonight’s game, the Spurs will board a flight for Oklahoma City, completing their first back-to-back of the season Sunday on the road against defending NBA scoring champ Kevin Durant and the Thunder.

That opens a stretch of five consecutive games against teams that were in the playoffs a season ago. Those opponents will provide the Spurs with a better gauge of their progress than the Clippers ever could.

“I don’t think you can be satisfied,” guard George Hill said. “The record is good, but at the same time we’re still not where we want to be.”

In lieu of a signature victory, the Spurs are left to judge themselves against themselves. So far, it’s been a mixed bag, with the good outweighing the bad.

Offensively, they’ve been magnificent at times. Heading into Friday’s games, they ranked fourth in the NBA in scoring (106.7 points per game), eighth in field-goal percentage (47.3) and first in 3-point percentage (42.5).

“Like most teams early in the season, we’re searching for consistency,” Popovich said. “We’ll have good stretches, then we’ll get a little disjointed. It’s all about consistency at both ends of the court.”

That’s not to say the Spurs’ 6-1 record is without value.

Last season, five more victories — against anybody — could have vaulted the Spurs from seventh in the Western Conference to second.

Every win counts. Even in November. Even against cupcakes.

“It’s important to start out and get some wins,” Ginobili said. “Later in the season, we’re really going to need them.”

The positive out of this article is that we are firing on all cylinders offensively where we suffered last year. The other being that they aren’t resting on their laurels and realize they need to get better defensively. The gradual schedule couldn’t be better as they brace themselves for better competition. I’m not going to dwell on if we played the Lakers twice or whether the Jazz wins on the road are more impressive or whether we could have done the same. It is what is. When 2 different teams play each other its analogous to mixing different ingredients together with injuries, fatigue and back to backs playing a role in the outcome. The Thunder will be coming off of an impressive win against the Blazers and we will be on the road after playing the night before. The odds it seem maybe stacked against us, especially as we introduce MB back in the lineup and the possibility Gee fulfilling some of JA’s minutes at SF. With that said if we do lose be prepared for naysayers to start poking their heads out from their shells.

Great Post Luther ! @ Jeff, Don’t like the Title of this article. These are pro teams, so there is no Cupcakes in the League. Every win early in the season will only help towards the end of the season, when all the playoff teams are hitting on all cylinders making it tuff to win games. I hope everyone in the league thinks the Spurs are Fools Gold. Win Ugly and Often that should be our calling. Just have some luck by staying Healthy is all we need. Let’s go ugly tonight and be 7-1 !!! Keep Pounding on the Rock !!!!

clint 6-1 that’s the only thing that matters at this point. it’s still early in the season and we have the third best record in the league. yes Utah has been impressive by coming back against those three teams in the east..but what you’re overlooking in that, is that UTAH is consistently down double-digit points in every game. they can’t continue to win like that.
and by the way, before they made it to MIAMI, they let the CLIPPERS take them to a double overtime game. it’s too soon to crown anyone at this point and honestly, I don’t care what the rest of the teams in the league are doing. what i know is that the SPURS are winning and that’s all that matters. i don’t care who the opponents have been, they can’t control that and i don’t care if the win is sloppy, you don’t get extra points for a blowout win.
i’m encouraged by what i see so far, because they are beating the teams that the SHOULD be and that’s the mark of a good team. last year, we would’ve lost the majority of those first seven games.

Not only are the Spurs feasting on weak opponents, they’re not looking so great while they’re doing it. Compare, for example, the three wins Utah just earned on their travels through Fla and Ga–much more impressive. Think the Spurs could have pulled that off the way they’ve been playing?